Ship launching device



. J. B. HALL 2,387,147

SHIP LAUNCHING DEVICE Oct. 1 1945.

Filed July 24, 1944 Patented Oct. 16, 1945 snrr LAUNCHING DEVICE James B. Hall, Nagh illQTfl, v e Application J y 24,1944,'Serial'No. 546,281 1 12 Claims.

This invention is a ship launching device, particularly relating to means for holding a ship on the ways during construction, and for releasing it for launching, The invention is particularly concerned with a quick release means for holding the ship on the ways for side-wise launching, but the'invention is not restricted to use for side-wise laun'ching. It may be used also on marine railways.

At the present time the cradle holding the ship prior to side-wise launching is provided with a, number of clevises, depending on the length and tonnage of the ship. Usually these clevises are about 25 or 30 feet apart. It has been customary to tie or secure these clevises to'suitable cross beams on the ways by manila rope about 2 or 2 inches in diameter, and when the ship is ready to launch, a man provided with an axe at each clevis, at a given signal, cuts this rope for allowing the ship to slide down the ways. The cost of these ropes for launching a medium size ship is in the neighborhood of $100 or $125.

The object of this invention is to provide a series of manually releasable locking devices for holding the several clevises so that at a given signal a man at each clevis throws a lever, thereby re-- leasing the ship for launching and eliminating the necessity of using rope. V

More particularly, the invention comprises, for each clevis, an angled pad strongly secured in position to' the ways. Cooperating with the antachably clamped to the clevis. The pad and slide are similarly shaped so that their angled surfaces form bearing surfaces which fit snugly against each other, and the angle of this bearing surface is at an angle with respect to the direc-a tion of pull exerted by the ship on the clevis and on the slide. Therefore, when the pad and slide are held clamped together, the pull of the clevis is taken up by the bearing surfaces and the ship is held. However, if the slide is released, the

slide rides up on its bearing surface, due to the cient to hold the pad and slide in looking position against the pull of the ship. T hese locking levers are normally secured by a padlock inloeking position against unauthorized use. p

When the ship is to be launched, the levers are unlocked and, at a given signal, a workman at, each lever throws the lever to unlock his particular clevis, and the ship is thereby released for launching.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, more or less diagrammatically, in which;

tddav Figure l is aside view time shiplaun'chin'g device of. the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same. Referring now to these figures, 2 indicates the usual inclined ways, supporting the slidable plat:

form, comprising horizontal side beams 4 and *inclined'jside beams 6, 'slidable on ways 2; this platform carries'the'usuaL cradle I for supporting the ship 8 to be launched.

10 Side beams-,4 of theways 'areusually provided with anchor plates l 2 secured thereto by bolts 14 and with inwardly extending, heavy, strong pivots l5 which engage with the ends l8 of clevis 20. The parts 's'o'far. described are already in use coming we the securing device'of the pres ent invention, a pad 22 is secured to the usual heavy cr'ossbeam 24"at the end of the ways., This pa'd'zz is a'heavy metal-plate about an inch or two thick -andit isfs ecllredto the beam 24 in any suitable way, as by ,aiplate' 26 which is bolted to the beam by abolt 28, the upper edge of plate 26: being welded at '30 to theunderside of the pad 22.

Coming now 'to'tlie'most important feature of the present inventionlthe pad 22 is provided with f an angled portiontg having an upper bearing Cooperating withthe-pad 22 is a slide 36, the body portion of which rests onp'ad22, the slide v30 being provided with an angled portion 38 providedwith an angled'bearing surface 34'. gled pad is a similarly angled slide, which is de- Bearing surfaces 34 and 34 are at thesame angle" and are normally in contact, The'langle of these bearing surfaces is'at an angle to the pull 35 exerted by'clevis 20. The angle of the bearing surfacesiis abo'ut4'5 with respect to thesurfaces o f'the' body portions of the slide and pad. However, this angle can be varied as desired; if heavier ships are to be handled, the angle may 40 be increased. I

" The 'slide 36' is secured in any suitable way tovided, pivoted at 44 to the pad, the lower art 43 of. the lever, straddling the upper ends of the pad and slide. .The' lever carries. a transversely ex-- tending bearing roller 46, journaled on shaft 41,

to arms 43which bears against the outer or up er together, and so the ship is held on the ways. The lever, 42 is normally held in'this position by surface 46' of the slide, near the angled portion 38 thereof, so that when the lever is in the position shown in Fig. l, the pad and slide are locked 1 down and dragging, after it has been released in launching the ship, a supporting bar or rod 52 may be positioned underneath it, supported by the side beams 22. order to prevent-:any possible sidewi'se-movement of the slide 36; chains or the like 54 may be positioned between respective outer edges of the slide 36 and the inner edges of the side beam 2.

When it is desired to launch the ship, a workman is stationed at each lever 42 and-at'agiven signal swings the lever 42 to the righuethereby releasing the several slides 36, whereupon the pull exerted by the clevis causes the two angledsurfaces 34v and 38 to act as cooperating cams, causing t e n ed 8 6 of, the. slide to ride upon the bearing surface 3Q; therebyreleasingthe'slide angle with respectjio the pullfexerted by the ship,

. pivoted to the pad and bearing against an outer portion of the slide, adjacent the angled hearing face thereof, for releasably holding the pad and. slide clamped together, with their angled bearing faces in engagement.

7. A ship launching device, comprising in combination an angled pad fixed in position at an angle with-respect to the pull exerted by the ship, an angled slide connected to and movable with the ship to be launched, means for releasably clampingsaidslideto said pad with their angled portions in engagement and means for securing said clamping means against unauthorized use.

3. A ship launehingdevice, comprising in combination a pad providedwith abearing faceextending at an angle with respect to the pull'exerted; by the ship as it is held on the ways, a

, slide, connected to the ship to be launched,,providedwith a bearing face adapted to fit against an angled slide connected to: and; movable with ert'edby the. ship as it'is heldon the ways, a slide,

connected to the ship toihe. launched',,provided with. an angled bearing face. adapted'to'fit against the bearingface onithe padlwhereby the said' angled bearing faces of the slide and the pad form cooperating cam surfaces; andmeans for releasably' clamping said" bearing faces into. engagement.

3: A ship-launchingdevice, comprisingiin combination an angled pad fixedlin position at an angle with respect to the ull .exerted'by the ship, an angled slide connected" to? and movable with the ship to be launched, andfa locking lever bearing against arr-outer portion of said slide, for releasably clamping saidlslideiagainst said pad withtheir-angle dportions. in: engagement.

4: A ship launchingdevice, comprisingin' combination a pad provided with a bearingiaee' extending-atan angle'with respect to thepullexerted by-the ship as his held on the ways, a slide, connected to the ship to be launched, providedwitha bearing faceadapted to fitagainst the=bearing face on the pad, and a locking lever,

bearing against-an outer portion ofsaid slide, for releasably Y clamping the slide' to" the pad, with. their angled bearing-faces in engagement.

5. A ship launching device, comprising in combination an angledpad hired in position at an angle with respect to-tha pull exerted'by' the ship; an angled slide connected to and movablewiththe ship to-belaunched; and alocking lever pivoted to the pad and. hearing against an outer' portion of said slide; for'rel'easablrholdirrg'the pad and slide in' engagement:

6; A ship launching device:v comprisingiincombination' a pad, providedwitli' a" bearing face,

extendingat an angle with respectto" the pullexerted by the ship as it is, held onthe ways, a. slide, connectediltoathe ship'to'be launched',.pro-

vided with a bearing face adapted'to fitagainstthe bearing face on the pad, and alocking level" the bearing face on the .pad, means for releasably clamping. said bearing faces into engagement and key'controlled means for securing said clamping means against unauthorized use.

9. A ship launching device, comprising in combination a pad provided'with a bearing face extending at an angle with, respect to the pull exerted bythe ship as it is heldon the ways,a slide, connected to the ship 'to'be launched, provided with a" bearing face adapted to fit against the bearing face on the pad; a locking lever pivoted' to" the pad' and bearing against an outer portion of the slide; adjacent the angled bearing face thereof, for releasably holding the pad and slide clamped together; withtheir angled bearing faces in engagementandmeans for securing said, locking lever" against unauthorized use.

10;- A ship launching device; comprising in combination, a clevis secured to the cradle supporting the-ship to be launched, a pad fixed in position, a slideconnected to the clevis and slidable on said pad, said pad'and'slide being provided with contacting angled bearing surfaces, the angle of said contacting surfaces being at an angle with respect to the direction of pull exerted by the clevison said slide, and" meansfor releasably;

clamping said pad and slide in engagement, with their angled bearing surfaces in contact.

1'1. Aship launching device, comprising in com bi-nation, a clevis secured to the cradle-supporting the-ship to be launched, a pad fixed in position,

gagement, with their angled bearing surfaces in contact.

12; Ashiplaunching device, comprising'in com- V bination, a clevis secured to the cradle supporting the ship to'bela-unched, apad fixed in position, a slid'e,.connected to'the clevis and slidable on said'pad, said pad andsl ide being provided with contactinganglhd bearing surfaces, theangle oi" said contacting surfaces being at an angle withrespect to thedirection of pull exerted by the clevis onsaid slide,-an=d'a lever; pivoted to the pad andengageable with the outside of the slideadjacent the end having the bearingsurface, for rea leasably clamping said pad and slidein engagement, withtheirangled bearing surfacesin contact." 

